There is probably no good time to go swimming in the Little Calumet River…but now would be particularly bad since a two-mile stretch has been intentionally poisoned in the latest chapter of the Asian carp saga. more ›

Yesterday, we curiously awaited the number of Asian carp the Illinois Department of Natural Resources killed with their poisoning of the the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Romeoville. This morning, after they sifted through thousands of dead fish, we know the number: One. But this is actually good news. The poisoning project - which lasts three days and will cost around $3 million (the federal government is covering most of the cost) - is designed as a last ditch effort to prevent the invasive species from making it into Lake Michigan and wreaking havoc not only there but throughout the Great Lakes while maintenance work is performed on electric barriers in the canal. John Rogner, assistant director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, said, "It's not something that anyone going into a career in fisheries-management looks forward to, but we thought it was an absolutely essential step. This is the closest to Lake Michigan the natural body has been collected." more ›

Every Halloween we’re treated to warnings from media, police and elected officials about “suspicious” candy handed out by nefarious adults. If you’re not afraid to ask strangers for candy yet, you clearly haven’t been paying attention to more than 30 years of perpetuated myths about poisoning. The Tribune reports the DuPage County Police department will assuage public fears this year by using its high tech crime lab facilities to test suspicious candy local residents drop off. [Ed's Note: No word if this extends to religious literature, like that a neighbor used to hand out to us instead of candy. Jerkstore... - M.G.] more ›

A Lake in the Hills man was arrested yesterday for possessing enough pufferfish toxin to kill about 100 people, according to the FBI. Tetrodotoxin possession without federal approval is a felony. more ›